What the heck is this pain, my brain asked. My stomach and rib muscles started hurting last Monday.
As would anyone, I immediately thought Stage 4 cancer. It couldn’t be from riding. I’ve been riding Fancy nearly every day except for about a week of horrible hot humid air.
We had a clinic with Jenny and Tony Vaught on Saturday. I got two riding days before that to prepare. On that last day of riding, she didn’t argue with me when I asked her to canter. She has argued from December 2018 through the end of July 2019, unless it is her idea to canter. Fancy loves to canter if it’s her idea. It also might be that my “ask” was unacceptable. This was a huge leap forward in our bonding and relationship. Fancy did not argue with me on Saturday during the clinic. This is still huge.
In the morning we did hindquarters leg cue exercises which was riding in 20 meter circles. We had adjoining circles and every now and then we rotated to the next circle reversing the direction.
In the afternoon, we had a leg yield/sidepass figure eight pattern and cantering pattern. Fancy was “strong” in her canter. That is horse talk for saying, “Fancy went too fast.” I pretended with most positive body language that her zipping down the rail at sixty mph bothered me not at all. I was relaxed.
No? I was called on for constant pulling back on the reins. This is a high end Horsemanship disgrace. I fought the ticket, maintaining my innocent relaxed body was holding loose reins. I know better than to argue, but I said it. Protesting my innocence produced a phone tattle-tail. Not just one segment of cantering was filmed, but THREE . The heartless videos gave all the points to Jenny (three wins for Jenny). I could see through my pretend relaxation on the tell-all video’s. Good Gawd! Whoever invented phone video’s should be jailed. Remember the good ole days when we had video cameras and VCR tapes? This immediate feedback stuff can be brutal.
I am now to canter while breathing in through nose and out through mouth. This forces the body to relax, whether it wants to or not.
We did more cantering and the four hour clinic was over. We were out in the sun those four hours. Death was stalking me again. After Fancy’s needs were cared for, I motored to motel room and collapsed. It took around two hours before my heart calmed down and started beating normally.
I tried to ride on Sunday. Fancy was saddled up, but I was not at 100%. The thought of riding another four hours out in the sun, felt unhealthy. I’m allergic to sun now. I asked Jenny if she would ride Fancy and she happily agreed. Fancy found a new sport, Instructor Horse! Fancy was glad to stand around and glare at all the other horses. Occasionally Jenny did the patterns. A few patterns now and then with Jenny makes an immediate difference. Of course Tony had to ride her too. His excuse was trying the Deep Seat Lite Parelli Saddle, but Fancy is his beloved World Grand Champion Reserve Ranch Horse! Jenny and Tony switched horses. Fancy got her money’s worth of development on Sunday while I sat in the shade.
Four hours later, Fancy and I are on the road home. Thank goodness I didn’t ride. The shade sitting enabled me to feel well enough to drive home. I had some minor stomach pains on Sunday. Heat and nerves I diagnosed.
Monday morning the core surprise struck. My stomach and rib muscles were sore! What the heck? Those minor stomach pains were not heat related.
My core muscles were sore? I’ve been riding Fancy nearly every day all this year. Why would my core muscles hurt now?
Fancy gave up much of her resistance to me and this happened a day before the clinic. We cantered and did other wonderful things at the clinic without an argument. I was able to ride Fancy at a goodly speed for a longer period of time. 2. I don’t normally ride four hours at a time.
Result is core muscle pain! I love core muscle pain! I thought I was above core muscle development. This Fancy girl is making a huge difference in my life!